Spirit Ascension Platform

If he summoned all fifteen Ghost Shadow Ninjas...

Wang Zhi even suspected that he could take on a Soul Emperor.

Of course, he wasn't strong enough yet, so he still chose to keep a low profile and develop steadily.

Because of that, both Zhang Zhenpeng and Zhou Tian'er had always thought Wang Zhi could summon only one Ghost Shadow Ninja.

But even just one...

Was something Zhang Zhenpeng had never heard of before.

Could the summon of a One-Ring Soul Master defeat a Three Rings Soul Elder?

Who would believe that if he told them?!

Zhang Zhenpeng had privately spoken with Wang Zhi about it several times, hoping to learn the secret of his Martial Soul.

But Wang Zhi had only said it was the result of a mutation and that he didn't know the exact reason either.

Seeing that he couldn't get anything out of him, Zhang Zhenpeng stopped asking. He only looked at Wang Zhi with increasingly eager eyes.

Later, to improve the four of them, Zhang Zhenpeng had spared no expense.

He had paid a hefty price to secure them one visit per week to the Beginner Spirit Ascension Platform at the Spirit Pagoda in Hailu City for live combat training.

The Spirit Ascension Platform was a restricted area of the Spirit Pagoda. Ordinary people couldn't get in at all.

Inside, they could fight simulated Soul Beasts to gain combat experience and even increase the age of their Soul Spirits.

Today was their first visit.

Early that morning, Zhang Zhenpeng brought the four of them to the Spirit Pagoda.

The Spirit Pagoda in Hailu City towered majestically, its surface gleaming like metal in the morning light.

As soon as they entered, a staff member came over to greet them.

Zhang Zhenpeng showed him a card. The staff member nodded respectfully and led them to a Soul Guide Elevator.

The elevator descended all the way.

There were no floor numbers, only depth indicators that kept changing.

It took a full three minutes for the elevator to stop.

The doors opened onto a spacious hall.

More than a dozen staff members in matching uniforms were busy at work in the hall.

Metal passageways stretched in every direction, making the place look like a maze.

Zhang Zhenpeng took out a strangely designed card and handed it to one of the staff members.

The staff member took the card and scanned it on a device. Then he nodded without a word, gestured for them to follow, and led them down one of the passageways.

The passageway was long, with metal walls on both sides. A Soul Guiding Lamp hung every few meters, casting a soft glow.

Their footsteps echoed through the passageway, making it feel rather empty.

After walking dozens of meters, they entered another elevator.

It descended again.

This time, it stopped after only a dozen seconds.

The doors opened onto a circular room.

The room was still made entirely of metal, but a ring of enormous Soul Guide Screens hung on its walls.

The screens showed all kinds of scenes, each depicting a lush green world: forests, grasslands, and valleys. They looked remarkably lifelike.

The staff member turned to face them.

"There are four spots in the Beginner Spirit Ascension Platform, and there's no time limit. When you can no longer handle the danger inside, press your Distress Signal Device and you'll return here."

"Now, I'll go over a few things you need to know."

His voice was calm, as though he were explaining something perfectly ordinary.

"The Spirit Pagoda spent over a thousand years building the Spirit Ascension Platform, drawing on countless resources and the foundation it had accumulated over time. It cost us nearly everything we had."

"It can be considered a world in its own right, and it makes extensive use of Spatial Technology."

"So, the first thing you need to understand is that the Spirit Ascension Platform isn't a completely virtual world. It's half virtual and half real."

"That's because a lot of the virtual data needs real feedback to function."

"The Beginner Spirit Ascension Platform is a purely virtual part of it, so your lives won't be in danger."

He paused and looked over the four boys and girls.

"So, inside the Spirit Ascension Platform, you can do anything you want. But the most important thing is to survive—to do everything you can to stay alive."

"The longer you survive, the more benefits you'll gain along the way."

"Second, don't assume that it's completely safe in there and that you don't need to worry about your lives."

"Although only your brainwaves are connected, if you receive a massive shock..."

"Your brainwaves could still be overwhelmed, putting you in danger."

"So, if you ever feel that things are beyond what you can handle, press your Distress Signal Device at once to leave the Spirit Ascension Platform."

"Understood?"

"Understood," Wang Zhi and the others replied in unison.

The staff member nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face.

"You'll learn the rest for yourselves once you're inside."

"This is your first time entering, so you might not last very long."

"But I'm sure it'll leave a deep impression on you."

"Children, prepare yourselves mentally."

"Remember, no matter what happens, don't panic. Soul Beasts aren't scary, as long as you deal with them properly."

After hearing his explanation, the four boys and girls were eager to give it a try.

Zhou Tian'er's eyes sparkled as she tugged on Zhou Hanyou's sleeve and whispered something to her.

Wang Dongqi clenched her fists, anticipation written across her face.

Even Zhou Hanyou, usually so composed, had a glimmer in her eyes.

Wang Zhi was just as excited.

He was genuinely curious.

The Spirit Pagoda's brainwave technology was practically the same as the Virtual Reality Technology from his Previous Life, which had still been in development.

Yet here on Douluo Continent, it was already being used successfully.

He really wanted to know what Brainwave Access felt like.

Just then, the staff member pressed a button.

With several clanks of machinery, four metal pods slowly slid out of the wall beside them.

The pods were streamlined, their surfaces as smooth as mirrors. Each one was just big enough for a person to lie down inside.

"Lie down inside."

The four of them did as instructed and climbed into the pods.

The insides were soft and molded to the shape of their bodies, so lying down wasn't uncomfortable.

Wang Zhi had just adjusted his position when suction-cup instruments emerged around him and quickly attached themselves snugly to various parts of his body.

"It's about to begin. Get ready."

"Now, relax your whole body."

That was the last thing Wang Zhi heard from the staff member outside.

The metal pod slowly slid back into the wall.

Everything before his eyes turned dark.

Then, he felt a tingling sensation spread through every limb.

The tingling grew stronger and stronger, like countless tiny electric currents coursing through his body.

He didn't resist and let the sensation spread.

His consciousness gradually blurred.

He didn't know how much time had passed.

Wang Zhi awoke from a half-asleep state...